LIVE Rahul Gandhi interacts with students at Bharathidasan college for women

Totally against patriarchy, women plan much more effectively for family: Rahul Gandhi

I think women should have power in the family," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told students at the Bharathidasan College for Women in Puducherry on Wednesday.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Puducherry. The former Congress president held a number of public meetings in the Union Territory, interacting with students and the fishermen community on Wednesday.

Addressing students at the Bharathidasan College for Women in Puducherry, Rahul Gandhi said, "If somebody is harassing you, if somebody is not giving you what is your due, you have to face them and challenge them."

Asked what he thinks of patriarchy, Rahul Gandhi responded by saying "I don't like it".

Rahul Gandhi went on to add," I am a Member of Parliament from Kerala and Kerala used to have a matriarchal system. Do you know that? In Kerala, they told me, I don't know if it's true or not but they told me if in certain communities if the woman is tired of the husband, she has to put his shoes outside the house and he has to leave. You've heard of this? I think this is a good system."

"I think women should have power in the family. My experience with work I did in Uttar Pradesh is if a woman controls the finances of a family, her vision for the family is much longer-term. She plans much more effectively for the family than a man. So I'm all for empowering women in the family," Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said.

He went further to state that men also have a role but he is "totally against patriarchy".